Apparatus for stowing and dropping an anchor

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is disclosed located on the forward deck of a boat and operable to position an anchor from a stowed location over the deck to a dropping position. An anchor carriage is mounted for travel along a rail structure having a curved segment located adjacent the boat&#39;&#39;s prow whereat the carriage discharges the anchor and oppositely receives the anchor during stowing of same. The anchor carriage is positionable forward to an anchor discharge position by spring means which means is loaded by powered retrieval of the anchor and the anchor carriage to a rearward stowed position. Powered winch means are also disclosed.

United States Patent 3,242,894 3/1966 Anderson 114/210 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Attorney-James D. Givnan, Jr.

ABSTRACT: An apparatus is disclosed located on the forward deck of a boat and operable to position an anchor from a stowed location over the deck to a dropping position. An anchor carriage is mounted for travel along a rail structure having a curved segment located adjacent the boats prow whereat the carriage discharges the anchor and oppositely receives the anchor during stowing of same. The anchor carriage is positionable forward to an anchor discharge position by spring means which means is loaded by powered retrieval of the anchor and the anchor carriage to a rearward stowed position. Powered winch means are also disclosed.

PATENTEUHAH 1 I97! SHEEI'IUFZ INVENTOR.

ERWIN M SMlTH PATEYNTED W191, 3577951} saw 2 OF 2 L INVENTOR. ERWIN M. SMITH APPARATUS FOR STOWING AND DROPPING AN ANCHOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The instant invention relates generally to deck-mounted apparatuses for dropping and retrieving anchors of boats of the size where such a task is usually accomplished manually as is the case in most pleasure boats.

In the prior art I am aware of various apparatuses have been directed toward providing mechanized stowing and launching of anchors 'to obviate the cumbersome task of manually handling an anchor. A certain degree of skill is required to insure proper dropping and setting of an anchor such best being accomplished remotely by the boat operator while stationed at the controls of the boat. While the prior art has been aware of the problems attendant the manual handling of an anchor the.

efforts to solve same have resulted in complex structures not widely accepted by the boating public.

A primary reason for such prior apparatuses not being widely accepted appears to be the reluctance of the boat owners to detract from the crafts appearance by mounting cumbersome hardware assemblies on the boats forward deck. Other apparent reasons are believed to be the cost and installation factors the latter requiring in some cases substantial modification of the boats forward deck.

In small boats, under 20 feet or so, the matter of installing some of the prior art apparatuses would be objectionable for weight reasons.

The prior art further encompasses mechanical arrangements which function sequentially first to swing or move the stowed anchor horizontally outward and thereafter lower same. These two distinct operations are accomplished with complicated hence costly arrangements of doubtful reliability.

An anchor carriage is entrained, in the present apparatus, on a curved rail which rail accomplishes both the horizontal positioningsof the anchor over the side of the boat prow as well as initial vertical anchor movement. The rail is of lightweight metal attractively formed and secured to the boat prow with the anchor carriage preferably of a like metal both designed for trouble freeoperation in combination with a minimum of operating components.

A conventional winch, preferably motorized, is utilized with the present apparatus to impart movement to the anchor and anchor carriage the latter being retracted initially upward and then horizontally over the forward deck to a stowed position with the anchor therewithin.

In dropping of the anchor the same is moved horizontally from its stowed position to a vertical release position by-a spring member which is tensioned or loaded during stowing. It will be evident that the means embodied in the present inven' tion provides for both the convenient launching and retrieval of an anchor by an arrangement of uncomplicated, highly reliable components. Further, the apparatus may be installed so as to not seriously detract from the boats appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is embodied in a curvlinear rail member terminating outwardly of the boat structure and upon which an anchor carriage travels. The carriage is powered by the anchor line in the retrieving direction and in opposite or launching direction by spring means. The carriage travels in both a horizontal direction substantially parallel to the boat deck and in a generally vertical direction the latter travel associated with separation of the anchor from its carriage during dropping of the anchor and reception of the anchor during retrieval.

BRIEF DRAWING DESCRIPTION In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. I is a side elevational view of the present apparatus in place on the forward deck of a pleasure boat,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a sectional, elevational view of the apparatus taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1,

' FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of the anchor carriage taken along line 4-4of FIG. I, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With continuing reference to the drawings wherein reference numerals identify parts similarly identified in the following specification the reference numeral 10 indicates the forward deck of a boat, the prow thereof indicated at 11 and a hull 12 all of generally conventional construction. In actuality the smaller pleasure boats are, for the most part, of molded plastic material while the larger inboardpowered boats or cruisers primarily stillutilize wood construction.

Shown affixed along the centerline of the deck is a rail member indicated generally at I5 shown extending, in an elevated manner, along the forward deck and terminating outwardly therefrom in a curved segment at 16. With attention. to FIG. 3 and 4, whereinsections of the rail member 15 are shown, a central metal bar 17 extends the length of the curved rail structure to whichare oppositely secured channel-shaped To provide a rigid connection between the rail structure 15 and upright plates 24 of the stand, metal blocks 26 are disposed within the channel members. 18. Fasteners at 27- (FIG. 3) extend through the plates, the blocks andthe channel members for threaded engagement with the bifurcated rear ward end portion-of the bar-I7.

Supporting the forward portionof the rail structure is a support 30 as shown best in FIG. 5 affixed to the deck 10 and capable of retaining the forward part of the rail structure in place against downwardly and laterally directed forces. A platform 31 on the support receives the rail structure 15.with a raised central area 32 nesting intennediate the channel members and through which extend fasteners 33 threadedly engaging the bar 17.

The forward downwardly curved portion of the bar 17forming a part of the curved rail segment serves additionally to mount side-by-side pulleys 34 and 35 (FIGS. 1 and 2) on which is entrained a cable 36 which may be termed a carriage control cable for movement of said carriage to an anchor discharge position. An additional pulley 37 is carried by the curved rail segment, this latter pulley serving to reverse the course of the carriage control cable 36: for ultimate attachment with the anchor carriage later described. Pulleys 34 and 35-are journaled in suitable bearing blocks as at 36 affixed to the underside of the rail structure while pulley 37 for purf poses of cable-bar clearance is joumaled medially within the bar 17.

At the end of the curved rail segment 16 are located stops as at 40 housed within both channel members. Curved' rail segment 16 may be further provided with a brace 41 to further reinforce the curved rail segment against deflection under load.

The anchor carriage generally shown at 45 holding an anchor at 49 and comprises a unitary housing 46 having an opening 47 therethrough of a dimension to receive and permit passage of the ring and shank of the anchor 49. The housing 46 is elevated as shown in FIG. 4 from rail structure 15 for clearance purposes by means of sideplates 48 which extend rearwardly past the housing end to thereat support a carriage borne pulley 50 engageable with the anchor line 63. A spindle 51 for pulley 50 extends intermediate the sideplates and is secured within a pair of bosses 52 each carried by one of the sideplates 48.

Carriage travel is provided for by supporting rollers 53 carried by the sideplates 48 and being of a diameter to occupy and travel the channel-shaped members. EAch roller 53 is suitably carried by a sideplate by means of a stub shaft 54 secured by a machine screw 55 as typically shown in FIG. 4. Rotatably mounted on the stub shaft is the roller 53 preferably being of wear-resistant nylon material and adapted to roll freely along the channel defined area. The vertical space between the rail structure and the carriage housing 46 allows necessary clearance for travel about the curved portion of the rail structure.

As herein before mentioned the anchor carriage 45 is moved from its anchor-stowing position (FIG. 1 full lines) to the anchor-dropping position (H6. 1 broken lines) on the curved rail segment 16 by resilient means which is presently shown as a helical spring 56. The forward end of spring 56 is retained at 57 by a deck fitting with the springs rearward end carrying a pulley block 58 through which the carriage control cable 36 is entrained both the cable and spring comprising means for forwardly moving the carriage and anchor. Said control cable 36 extends from its secured end at pulley support 60 around pulley block 58 thence rearwardly and upwardly around a pulley 61, journaled on the pulley support 60 thence forwardly beneath the rail structure, and onto the aforementioned pulley 34 and pulley 37 mounted thereon and returning over pulley 35 and ending in securement at 59 to anchor housing 46. Spring 56 upon moving to its contracted or untensioned state (as shown in broken lines) will have advanced the carriage to .the anchor discharge position also shown in broken lines. Oppositely the spring 56 is extended or loaded by rearward movement of the anchor carriage as pulled by the powered anchor line as later described.

Pulley support 60 mounted upon the deck additionally carries a second and larger pulley 62 for guiding of an anchor line at 63 which pulley cooperates with the earlier mentioned pulley to guide the rearrangement line upwardly for anchor attachment. The third anchor line guiding pulley 50 previously described in connection with the anchor carriage functions to rotatably guide the anchor line only when said carriage is traversing the curved rail segment 16.

Mounted to the underside of deck 10, for the sake of the boats overall appearance, is an electrically powered winch assembly 65 which receives the anchor line through a deck opening 66. The winch assembly includes reversible electric motor 68 with reduction drive carried by a winch-mounting bracket 67. A powered winch of conventional design is preferred being of the type incorporating a reduction drive of the electric motor to power the winch drum shaft and effective to retain the anchor in the stowed position of FIG. 1 or alternately locking the winch drum when it is desired to maintain an anchored position. Depending on the size of the craft it may be desirable to utilize a winch assembly having hydraulically powered clutch and brake components while conversely in very small boats a hand-powered winch would be satisfactoln the preferred winch arrangement shown an electrical control circuit for operation of motor 68 to rewind line 63 includes a motor cutoff switch 70 actuated by the anchor carriage 45 in its rearward position. A second control circuit for reverse operation of motor 68 for paying out line 63 is closeable by switch means (not shown) located conveniently to the boat operator such reverse motor operation serving to advantageously retard the forward, spring urged movement of anchor carriage 45 during initial forward movement of same.

with deenergization of motor 68 resultin in the braking of the winch drum when the desired amount 0 anchor line has been payed out. A clutch intermediate the reduction drive and the winch shaft may be incorporated for the purpose of disengaging the winch shaft from the reduction drive permitting free fall of the anchor.

Raising of the anchor is remotely controlled by the boat operator who, upon after assuring the anchor is not fouled, will energize motor 68 for operation in an opposite direction. Contact of the anchor upwardly against the forwardly located anchor housing 45 followed by further rewinding of anchor line 63 will cause said housing to ultimately come to rest in the full line or stowed position of F 1G. 1. The anchor carriage serves to space the anchor and its flukes at all times from the rail structure 15.

I claim:

1. An anchor-raising and -lowering apparatus associated with the forward deck of a boat and comprising:

an anchor carriage for receiving an anchor and holding same in a stowed condition aboard the boat,

a rail structure supporting said carriage and having a downwardly curved segment forwardly disposed from the prow of said boat and a remaining straight segment of said rail structure in substantial parallel disposition to said deck,

said anchor carriage movable along said rail structure segments from an anchor-stowing position forwardly to an anchor-discharge and -receiving position on said curved segment of the rail structure,

an anchor line extending through said carriage,

a winch for retrieval of the anchor line,

said carriage movable along said rail structure rearwardly to an anchor-stowing position upon retrieval of the anchor line causing the anchor to be received in said carriage and subsequently move said carriage to the anchor-stowing position, and

means for oppositely moving said anchor carriage forwardly from an anchor-stowing position along said rail structure to said curved segment thereof for gravitational discharge of said anchor from said carriage, said means including both a resilient member and cable means,

said cable means extending for a portion of its length along said rail structure and terminating in connection with said carriage.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a helical spring.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said winch is powered by an electric motor and reduction drive with a control circuit for said motor including a carriage actuated switch to break the motor circuit when said carriage is at its rearward anchor stowing position.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said anchor carriage includes rollers entrained on said rail structure and supporting said carriage for rolling movement along the rail structure. 

1. An anchor-raising and -lowering apparatus associated with the forward deck of a boat and comprising: an anchor carriage for receiving an anchor and holding same in a stowed condition aboard the boat, a rail structure supporting said carriage and having a downwardly curved segment forwardly disposed from the prow of said boat and a remaining straight segment of said rail structure in substantial parallel disposition to said deck, said anchor carriage movable along said rail structure segments from an anchor-stowing position forwardly to an anchordischarge and -receiving position on said curved segment of the rail structure, an anchor line extending through said carriage, a winch for retrieval of the anchor line, said carriage movable along said rail structure rearwardly to an anchor-stowing position upon retrieval of the anchor line causing the anchor to be received in said carriage and subsequently move said carriage to the anchor-stowing position, and means for oppositely moving said anchor carriage forwardly from an anchor-stowing position along said rail structure to said curved segment thereof for gravitational discharge of said anchor from said carriage, said means including both a resilient member and cable means, said cable means extending for a portion of its length along said rail structure and terminating in connection with said carriage.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient member is a helical spring.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said winch is powered by an electric motor and reduction drive with a control circuit for said motor including a carriage actuated switch to break the motor circuit when said carriage is at its rearward anchor stowing position.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said anchor carriage includes rollers entrained on said rail structure and supporting said carriage for rolling movement along the rail structure. 